What is Horizon 2020

Horizon 2020 is the EU's Research and Innovation programme. With nearly 75 billion euro of funding, the programme is available over 7 years (2014 to 2020), and offers funding for researchers, companies, entrepreneurs, organisations, regions etc.

The programme consists of three main research areas that are called "pillars":

The first pillar is "Excellent science" which focuses on basic research. The European Research Council (ERC) give grants to researchers and teams of researchers based on scientific excellence of the applications.

This pillar funds future and emerging technologies (FET) and researcher mobility (Marie Sklodowska-Curie Action (MSCA)) and large European research infrastructures.

"Leadership in enabling and industrial technologies" (LEIT) is the second pillar. It is managed by DG Enterprise and based on Europe 2020 and Innovation Union strategies.

The pillar consists of six sub-programmes:

Information and communication technologies

Nanotechnologies

Advanced materials

Advanced manufacturing and processing

Biotechnology

Space

These technologies all have European technology platforms with their respective strategic research agendas (SRA). Some technologies have long term funding instruments, such as joint technology initiatives (JTI). Some technologies are labelled key enabling technologies (KET).

The third pillar funds potential solutions to social and economic problems, "Societal challenges", in the following six sub-programmes:

Health

Bioeconomy

Energy

Transport

Climate

Inclusive societies

Secure societies

This pillar also funds the themes: "Science with and for society" and "Spreading excellence and widening participation".

The opportunities under each area is described in work programmes - these can be found on the European Commissions Participant Portal site: